BIG BUCK’S, ONE of the greatest staying hurdlers of all time, has died at the age of 23.
Owned by the late Andy Stewart, he was part of a golden age for trainer Paul Nicholls as he counted Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges among his stablemates.
Big Buck’s had always been viewed by connections as a potential top-class chaser. However, a fall at the final fence in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup saw him revert back to hurdles and he never looked back.
He won what is now the Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle a record four times, the Liverpool Hurdle four times, and the Long Walk Hurdle three times.
Big Buck’s, who struck up a great relationship with Ruby Walsh, was a fan favourite as he would often hit a flat spot in his races before powering to victory.
“Ability-wise he was probably as good as anything I’ve ever trained,” Nicholls said.
Advertisement
“I was very lucky to have him at the same time as Kauto Star, Neptune Collonges, Master Minded and Denman. He was definitely as good as any of them.”
One of the last surviving members of that halcyon period for the Ditcheat handler, Big Buck’s would go on to pass Sir Ken and win a then record 18 straight National Hunt races when reverting to hurdles, an achievement only eclipsed by Altior since.
However, for Nicholls there will always be the question of how high he could have climbed if remaining over the larger obstacles.
“He won the Graded race at Aintree over fences, jumped 18 fences, and jumped them 18 different ways and still won,” said Nicholls.
“It made me think he was a certainty in the Hennessy, and he was unlucky that day, but he just wasn’t a natural jumper of a fence.
“If Kauto Star hadn’t been about at that time, then we probably would have persevered over fences, and he had the ability to win a Gold Cup.
“If he had won the Hennessy that day, it would have definitely given us a headache, and it would have been interesting where he would have ended up.
“But over hurdles he was invincible. Andy said I was bonkers, but going back over hurdles was the best thing we ever did. History tells you how good he was and Cheltenham, Aintree, Newbury, Ascot – if there was a big staying hurdle race, he won them all – all those Grade Ones on the trot, what a horse.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'Over hurdles, he was invincible': Superstar racehorse Big Buck’s dies aged 23
BIG BUCK’S, ONE of the greatest staying hurdlers of all time, has died at the age of 23.
Owned by the late Andy Stewart, he was part of a golden age for trainer Paul Nicholls as he counted Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded and Neptune Collonges among his stablemates.
Big Buck’s had always been viewed by connections as a potential top-class chaser. However, a fall at the final fence in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup saw him revert back to hurdles and he never looked back.
He won what is now the Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle a record four times, the Liverpool Hurdle four times, and the Long Walk Hurdle three times.
Big Buck’s, who struck up a great relationship with Ruby Walsh, was a fan favourite as he would often hit a flat spot in his races before powering to victory.
“Ability-wise he was probably as good as anything I’ve ever trained,” Nicholls said.
“I was very lucky to have him at the same time as Kauto Star, Neptune Collonges, Master Minded and Denman. He was definitely as good as any of them.”
One of the last surviving members of that halcyon period for the Ditcheat handler, Big Buck’s would go on to pass Sir Ken and win a then record 18 straight National Hunt races when reverting to hurdles, an achievement only eclipsed by Altior since.
However, for Nicholls there will always be the question of how high he could have climbed if remaining over the larger obstacles.
“He won the Graded race at Aintree over fences, jumped 18 fences, and jumped them 18 different ways and still won,” said Nicholls.
“It made me think he was a certainty in the Hennessy, and he was unlucky that day, but he just wasn’t a natural jumper of a fence.
“If he had won the Hennessy that day, it would have definitely given us a headache, and it would have been interesting where he would have ended up.
“But over hurdles he was invincible. Andy said I was bonkers, but going back over hurdles was the best thing we ever did. History tells you how good he was and Cheltenham, Aintree, Newbury, Ascot – if there was a big staying hurdle race, he won them all – all those Grade Ones on the trot, what a horse.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Big Bucks Horse Racing Paul Nicholls